Circulatory heating system for vehicle motors



Oct. 24, 1950 w. F. KElL 2,527,011

CIRCULATORY HEATING SYSTEM FOR vnuxcu: MOTORS Filed Oct. 25, 1948 1?" Zhwentor 7 willianu Rail r attorney 3 Patented Oct. 24,1950

OFFICE CIRCULATORY HEATING SYSTEM FOR VEHICLE MOTORS William F. Keil, Centcrline, Mich.

Application October 25, 1948, Serial No. 56,379

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to vehicle motors and particularly to systems for heating the water jackets of such motors.

An object of the invention is to provide a system suited to circulate hot water through the water jacket of a vehicle motor without entailing wasteful heating of the radiator and its liquid contents.

Another object is to so install a water heater in a circulatory system including a motor water jacket and a hot water type of vehicle heater, that a thermo-siphon flow will occur in such system.

Another object is to install a heater for an existing water circulation system including the water jacket of a vehicle motor and a hot water type of vehicle heater, the installation minimizing cost by utilizing a maximum number of parts of the existing circulation system.

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of my improved system using electrically generated heat.

Fig. 2 is an axial sectional view of an electric heater particularly suited to my improved system.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified system for heating the water in the motor jacket.

Fig. 4 is an axial vertical sectional view of an oil burner as utilized to heat water in the system shown in Fig. 3.

In these views, the reference character I designates the water jacketed motor of a motor vehicle having a hot water type of heater 2 installed within the vehicle body (not shown) in proximity to the dash board 3, as is common. Extending from the water jacket to the heater 2 are hose connections 4 and 5, respectively communicating with thetop and bottom ends of said heater. While said hose connections may operatively communicate with the water jacket at various points, it is preferred to connect the hose 4 with a fitting 6 surmounting the forward end of the motor I, and to extend the connection to a fitting 1 surmounting the rear end of the motor. The connection 5 is preferably of an approximate U-form with legs differing in length, the shorter leg extending downwardly from the heater 2 and the longer one downwardly from the motor.

For heating the described circulatory system, I provide the electric heater shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprising an elongated cylindrical casing 8 having end walls, a length of pipe 9 centrally extending through the casing and projecting some distance beyond its end walls, and a resistance coil l0 wound on said pipe Within said casing. A suitable thickness of electrical insulation II is interposed between the pipe and coil and a heavier cover of thermal insulation [2 surrounds said coil. The described heater is inserted in the hose connection '5, being preferably vertically disposed, the upper and lower sections of said connection being fitted over the projecting ends of the pipe 9. In thus installing said heater, it is usually feasible to merely cut the hose connection 5, as it originally extends directly from the motor to the heater 2, the added length resulting from inserting the electric heater producing the desired U-shape. To one end of the casing 8, there is brazed or otherwise rigidly secured a laterally extending tube [3 through which leads a cord l4 supplying current to the resistor 10. An ordinary pronged plug I5 on the free end of said cord adapts it for detachable connection to any fixed electric wiring system (not shown).

When the described electric heater is energized, there results the thermo-siphon circulation indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1. Thus, due to vertical mounting of said heater in the hose connection 5, there is induced an upward flow of water from the pipe 9 into the jacket of the motor. The water thus rising is replaced by water drawn from the front end of the water jacket through the connection 4, the space heater 2, and the lower section of the connection 5. Preferably the electric heater is plugged in about a half hour before the car is to be used, in which interval, the cylinders will attain an ample temperature for easy starting of the motor. If a car is required for use in the morning, the heater may be kept energized through the night, so that no time need be lost in starting the motor.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate my improved system as applied to a car not equipped with any such hot water type of heater as shown at 2 in Fig. 1, and further discloses the adaptability of said system to use an oil burner in place of electric heater of Figs. 1 and 2. Thus an oil burner l6 surmounting a reservoir l'l occupies a shell 18 removably attached to the lower portion of a cylindrical water tank IS. A pipe 20 discharges hot gases from the burner upward axially of the tank 19, said tank having upper and lower lateral fittings 2| and 22 engaged respectively by hose connections 23 and 24 leading respectively to rear and front fittings 25 and 26 surmounting the water-j acketed motor 21. Heat applied to the tank I!) induces a thermo-syphon circulation as is indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3.

Obviously the somewhat simplified system apon I the thermostat.

pearing in Fig. 3 may employ, if desired, such an electric heater as exemplified in Fig. 2. An oilburning type of heater, however, possesses the advantage that it requires no proximity to a source of electric current, serving therefore to establish or maintain the motor of a vehicle at starting temperature wherever the vehicle may be, as for example, in a parking lot.

In almost all present-day motor vehicles, a thermostat (not shown) is installed upon the front end of the motor to control a valve (not shown) cutting off water circulation between the motor jacket and the radiator until the motor reaches a predetermined temperature, ranging commonly from 160 degrees to 180 degrees Fahr enheit. It is an advantage of my-described systern that it delivers highly heated water to the water-jacket remote from the described thermostat, so that such water undergoes a considerable.

temperature reduction before taking any effect Thus my system serves its purpose without losing heat to the radiator. This entails a considerable economy of heat, since car radiators have a considerable capacity. Moreover, transmission to the radiator of heat generated by my system would materially increase the time requisite to establish the motor at a starting temperature.

'U-formed connection.

What I claim is:

In a circulatory water heating system, the combination with a water-jacketed motor and a space heater of a hot water type, of a hose connection from the water jacket to the space heater for delivering water to such heater, a hose connection from the space heater to the water jacket for delivering water to the water jacket, the lastmentioned connection-having a U-form with one leg of the U longer than the other, and a water heater interposed in the relatively long leg of said WILLIAM F. KEIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the V file of this patent z UNITED STATES PATENTS 

